Below is the original Deserve's Beginning, written in 2011.

Prologue

It was a cold winter night. Heaps of snow piled up around a barn. Inside, a white she-cat lay in the straw, sides heaving.

"You can do it!" insisted the black and white tom standing over her.

"I don't know, Dice." Panted the she-cat. "This is so hard!" Suddenly she let out a thin wail, panting harder then before.

"That's it, Velvet!" Dice meowed, sounding a little panicked. "They're coming!"

Velvet wailed, and a tiny brown fur ball tumbled out.

Dice quickly began lapping at the kits wet fur, bringing his son to life. "It's a tom." Dice announced to his mate.

"Really?" Velvets green eyes brightened, but seconds later she yowled again. The next kit, a white one, slid out.

Dice began to lick this one, as he had done with the last. "She-cat." He meowed between licks as Velvet began to push out a last kit. A jet black shape emerged in the straw. After licking him, Dice nudged him towards the other kits and noticed its tiny white paws. "He's a tom." Purred Dice.

"Is it over?" rasped Velvet. When Dice nodded a reply, She lifted her snowy head and gazed at her kits lovingly. "What should we name them?" Velvet weakly asked, looking exhausted. The kits began to suckle.

"Theres plenty of time for that later." Purred Dice. "Sleep now, my love."

A few days later, the snow had begun to melt, and small signs of spring began. Dice was padding into the barn, a sandy colored fresh caught mouse in his jaws.

Velvet lifted her head as her mate appeared. "Is that a mouse?" she purred. "Thanks Dice, I'm starving!"

It had been three days since Velvet had kitted. Dice had been working hard to catch prey for her, because Velvet did not know how to hunt. Together Dice and her had named the kits. Velvet had suggested Song for the she-cat, after the singing birds in the morning. Dice had named the tabby tom Boost, after his dead brother. But one kit remained. As Dice dropped the mouse at Velvets paws, The unnamed Kit lifted his tiny black head. He began to stumble towards it, his white paws awkwardly wobbling. He sniffed the mouse curiously.

"Would you look at that." Murmered Dice.

"I think he thinks he deserves that mouse, Dice." Purred Velvet.

Dice purred. "Sorry little one, your too young to eat mice." Suddenly Dice looked up thoughtfully. "Deserve..."

Velvet looked up. "Deserve? It's a strange name."

"It's a unique name." Corrected Dice.

Velvet sighed happily, watching as the black kit began to suckle her milk. "Then Deserve it is."

Chapter 1

"Catch this, Song!" Yowled Boost, batting a ball of moss at his sister.

The white kit reared on her front legs and kicked the ball back at Boost.

His littermates yowling had woken Deserve. The jet black kit groaned and covered his ears with his white paws. "Could you guys be any louder?"

"Could you be any lazier?" Retorted Boost as he caught Songs throw. "You sleep longer then rabbits in the winter!"

"Dad says playing makes you strong!" Added Song, throwing the ball back to Boost.

"Dad also says you shouldn't be waking at the break of dawn!" a new voice growled from the barn enterence.. it was Dice, their father. "Don't make fun of your brother just because he wakes at a decent time."

Deserve sat up, eyes gleaming as Boost missed Songs throw. "Dad!" he squeaked. "I-I..."

But Dice purred. "I want healthy kits that play and sleep. Promise tomorrow you'll sleep like Deserve?"

Boost bluntly nodded. "Kay." Song muttered.

Deserve purred, blinking his emerald eyes. He loved it when Dice told off Boost and Song."

"Now." Meowed Dice. "I think your ready to try this." He reached behind him and pulled out a plump mouse.

Deserves eyes lit up. Yes! He thought. He had been dying to try mouse someday.

He turned and saw his own exitement reflected in Boost and Songs eyes.

"Yay!" Exclaimed Boost, rushing towards the mouse.

But Dice lifted his paw to block his way. "Now, Why not let Deserve try first?"

Boost opened his jaws to protest but sighed. "Fine."

Deserve eagerly padded towards the mouse. He hesitated, Glancing at Dice. His father nodded. From the corner of his eye, Deserve saw Boost's paw tapping impatiently on the ground. Song looked more respectful, but her lashing tail showed she was eager.

Deserve took a deep breath and sunk his teeth into the mouse. Its warm, tasty flesh entered his mouth. He chewed it carefuly, his tiny teeth not used to this. He swallowed and licked his lips.

Boost growled. "Well?"

"Its delicious!" purred Deserve.

Boost and Song shot questioning glances at Dice. Dice nodded, and the two kits dashed at the mouse for their share.

"Is that my kits trying mouse?" Velvet purred, padding towards them.

"Yes!" Mewed Deserve proudly. "Its delicious!"

"Mhm!" Came Boosts reply as he dug into the mouse.

Song purred. "I love it!"

Velvet padded to Dice and sat beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder. " They are growing so fast." She purred. "Are they really five monthes?"

Dice purred. "Yes. They grow like weeds."

Deserve purred happily. 

Chapter 2

It was near sunset. Dappled sunlight beamed through the barn roof.

"One...Two..." Boost counted, covering his eyes with his paws.

Deserve peered from inside a hay pile. They were having a game of hide and seek. While Dice went hunting, Velvet was playing too! Deserve could see Songs white tail from behind a shovel. He looked up and saw Velvet sitting on a barn loft.

"9...10!" Finished Boost. "Ready or not, here I come!"

Deserve backed farther into the hay.

Boost peered around the barn. He padded around and caught sight of Song's tail. Boost snickered and snuck towards it. Then he pounced on Songs tail.

"Mrow!" Cried Song, jumping from behind the shovel. "That hurt!"

Suddenly Velvet jumped down from her hiding spot and landed behind Boost. "Boo."

Boost yowled, spinning around. "Hey!"

Velvet laughed and began lapping at his fur.

"Hey, what, stop!" Urged Boost as Velvet lapped at him.

Song was laughing hard.

Deserve joined her, emerging from the hay.

"Ill always love you three!" Purred Velvet, stopping licking Boost. Boost shook his furr out while Velvet leaped towards Song.

"It's the licky monster!" Cried Song ,darting away.

As Velvet turned to Deserve, he ran off with Song.

Velvet began to chase then around playfully. After a while, she caught Deserve and lapped at him.

"Uh!" Groaned Deserve, trying to escape her tongue.

Dice suddenly entered the barn. "What's going on?" He purred. "I think its bedtime now."

Chapter 3

It was night now. Deserve woke, opening his eyes. Crickets sang. Beside him Boost and Song slept soundly. Song was curled up beside them. Deserve looked towards where Dice would sleep. But his father wasn't there. Deserve blinked in confusion and looked around. He got out of the straw and padded towards the barn entrance. He peered around. "Dad?" He whispered. He padded around the barn corner and suddenly saw him. Dice was crouched low to the ground, slowly creeping forward. Deserve watched. What's he doing? He wondered. Dice suddenly leaped into the air and landed on something. Deserve pricked his ears as Dice lifted his head, a mouse in his jaws. Deserve, Excitedly dashed towards him. "That was incredible!"

Dice spun around, fur fluffed up. He relaxed when he saw his kit. "Deserve! You scared me. What's wrong?" He asked.

Deserve shrugged. "Nothing. I couldn't Sleep so I wanted to find you."

Dice padded away to drop his mouse on a pile of prey. "Well you found me. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Deserve eyed the prey pile. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked.

Dice narrowed his eyes and sighed. "I go to bed after midnight."

"But you need your sleep too!" insisted Deserve.

Dice shook his head. "No. I need to hunt and provide for you."

Deserve blinked. He had never understood why Dice was always hunting. "Why Don't Velvet hunt for herself? Then you would only have to feed me, Boost and Song."

Dice looked a bit angry for a heartbeat, and Deserve wondered if he had offended him. But Dice relaxed. "Because Velvet doesn't know how to hunt." He meowed quietly.

"Why don't you teach her?" Asked Deserve in confusion.

Dice sighed. "She didn't want to learn. She doesn't like to kill, not even prey."

Deserve blinked thoughtfully. He had never known this. "Then why not teach me?" He asked. "We could hunt together!"

Dice hesitated. "Well..."

"Please!" Begged Deserve.

"Oh, Alright." Purred Dice. "Copy my moves." He crouched low to the ground.

Deserve looked at his body and tried to copy it, pressing close to the ground.

"Good!" Meowed Dice. "Now slowly creep forward." He began to creep forward few steps.

Deserve carefully did the same.

"Then pounce!" Meowed Dice, jumping into the air and landing on a blade of grass.

Deserve pounced a bit further then him and landed on another blade of grass.

"You're a natural." Purred Dice. "Want to try for real?"

Deserve nodded.

Dice stood still for a few seconds. A tiny squeaking came from the distance. It was a brown mouse, nibbling on a seed. Dice nodded to it.

Deserve looked at it and carefully pad forward, as low as he could. He eyed the mouse. Once he was inches away, Deserve leaped and landed on it, clasping it in his paws. But the mouse struggled in his grip.

"Now to-" before Dice could finish, Deserve lunged his teeth into its neck. The tiny creature stopped wriggling and went limp.

"Deserve!" Dice exclaimed.

Deserve turned to his father, his lips covered in blood.

"You learned the killing bite by yourself!" Exclaimed Dice, clearly impressed.

Deserves heart glowed with pride. "I just figured it would work..."

Dice licked his head warmly. "Tomorrow me and you can hunt together, alright?"

Deserve excitedly purred. "Yes, that would be great!"

"Now, you should go to bed. Take your mouse into the barn, in the morning you can give it to Velvet." Meowed Dice.

Deserve nodded. "Ok." He picked up his mouse and trotted away. "Good night." He mumbled.

"Good Night." Purred Dice.

Deserve entered the barn and put his mouse in a corner. He then stepped back into the straw and curled up. He was very happy. Nothing could possibly break he and his family apart. Right?

Chapter 4

Deserve awoke, this time not to his brothers yowling. He turned his head to the barn entrance. It was morning. Deserve saw Boost and Song slowly waking.

Song opened her jaws and yawned. "Good morning Deserve." She mumbled to him.

"Hey Song." Greeted Deserve. Boost began to awake.

"Morning already?" Moaned Boost.

Suddenly Velvet appeared beside them. "Good morning my kits." She purred.

Deserve purred. "Good morning." He suddenly remembered him catching the mouse last night. "Oh, I have a surprise for you!" He meowed, getting up and dashing to the corner. He picked up the mouse and braught it to Velvet. "Look!" He meowed proudly as he dropped it. "I caught it last night!"

Velvets eyes widened. "Really?' She looked like she didn't quite believe him.

"What!?" Gasped Boost. "Yeah Right!"

Deserves tail lashed in frustration. "But it's true! Dice taught me, he was there!"

"Alright." Velvet purred. "I believe you." He looked at the mouse's neck. "You did catch it. That's not Dice's bite. Great job." She purred, beginning to eat the mouse.

Deserve stood proudly. He suddenly remembered. "Dice was going to hunt with me today!" He dashed out of the barn. "Come watch!' he called.

Velvet purred. "Alright, I'd love to see you in action."

Song and Boost followed. "My bet's he don't catch anything." Muttered Boost.

Ignoring Boosts insult, Deserve glanced around. "Dad?" He called. He spotted his father crouched In the grass. Deserves eyes widened as he saw what he was stalking. A turkey! It was delicious and big enough to feed them all. "Look!" Deserve hissed excitedly to Velvet and his littermates. Velvet stared at Dice eagerly. "Come on..." He murmured.

Dice was stalking towards it when the turkey fled towards the road. Across the road was clanner territory! Velvet had told Deserve stories of the mangy clanners who lived there. If they caught Dice inside, they would rip him to shreds! Suddenly Velvet gasped. "Oh no..."

Following her gaze, Deserve stared in fear. Dice was going to follow the turkey! He heard Dice snarl. "No you don't!" Dice chased it, heading into the road. But he didn't see the speeding car thundering towards him.

Beside him Velvet gasped. "Dice! Come back!"

But it was too late. Deserve shut his eyes, heart thumping loudly. He heard the screech of the car, then a loud howl of pain and terror. Deserve shut his eyes tighter, panic echoing through him.

"Dice!" came the shriek of Velvets voice. "No!"

Deserve slowly opened his eyes and let out a cry at what he saw. The car was speeding away, leaving behind the limp, bleeding body of Dice.

Chapter 5

Deserve stared at Dice in horror. "No!" He yowled. Beside him Velvet raced at the body.

"Dice!" She whimpered, grabbing his scruff and dragging him out of the road.

Deserve looked behind him. Boost's eyes were wide with horror. Song looked badly shocked.

When Velvet had reached them with Dice's body. Deserve could see tire marks on his side, leading to his head. Dice had blood pouring out of his neck. He was dead. But Velvet licked his head and poked him, trying to wake him. "Dice?" She whispered. "No, Please..."

Deserve felt a lump in his throat. But managed to get out. "He's Gone Mom."

"No!" Wailed Velvet. "He... He cant..." She groaned painfully and turned to the kits. "Go inside the barn and rest." She rasped.

For once Boost didn't object. Deserve turned with his littermates and went into the barn. Song wailed. "He cant be dead!" she burst into tears.

Boost looked heart broken, not saying a word.

Deserve felt like wailing his heart out too. But he had to be strong for his family's sake. He padded towards Song and rubbed his head against hers. "It'll be ok." He meowed dryly.

"Dad is dead!" Wailed Song. "How can it be ok?"

Deserve wasn't sure how to answer that. Suddenly Velvet padded into the barn. Deserve and his littermates looked up.

Velvet took a deep breath and sighed. Her claws were muddy and dirty, which showed she had buried Dice.

"Kits." She meowed. "I need to tell you what's going to happen."

Deserve looked up uneasily.

Velvet dryly mewed. "You know those Clanners I told you about?"

Deserve's eyes widened. Where was she getting at? He nodded.

Velvet mewed. "Well... Some of them are nice. And I... I cant let you stay here anymore."

Deserve's heart skipped a beat. "What!?" He exclaimed.

Behind him Song wailed. "What do you mean?"

Velvet gulped and meowed. "I cant hunt... I cant keep you alive. Im going to bring you to Shadowclan where you can live."

Deserve was shocked. "But, But I know how to hunt!" He exclaimed. "Dice taught me before he died, I could hunt for us!"

Velvet firmly shook her head. "No, your just a kit, I wont put that kind of pressure on you."

Suddenly Boost jumped up behind him. "So you're just dumping us?" He growled. He was clearly outraged.

Velvet mewed. "No, I'm bringing you somewhere safe." She turned towards the barn entrance. "Come on."

Deserve exchanged shocked glances at his littermates. Boost looked outraged. Song just looked plain terrified, her blue eyes round as moons. They slowly followed their mother. As they pad towards the forest, Deserve turned his head to his fathers grave of fresh dirt. "Goodbye Dad." He whispered, then turned back to the forest.

Chapter 6

Soon Deserve and his family had reached Shadowclan territory. Pine trees loomed over them. Deserve uneasily glanced around. Were some of the clanners hiding behind the tree's, just waiting to pounce on them? Soon they reached a spot where the scent was strong.

"This is the camp." Mewed Velvet dryly. She licked her kits heads one by one. "I love you, good luck."

Deserve sputtered. "Wait, what-"

Before he could finish, Velvet lifted her head and let out a loud yowl, then turned and ran off.

"No, Mom!" Cried Song, almost collapsing in terror. Boost watched her run in fury.

Deserve stared after her.

Suddenly a sound rustled from behind them. The kits spun around to see a large ginger tom looking at them.

Deserves eyes widened. It was a clanner! He saw Boost trying to look strong, but he was shaking like jello.

Song looked petrified.

The ginger tom meowed softly. "Kits? Where did you come from?"

Deserve quivered and stammered. "W-we're just barn cats...." He managed to get out. "Our mother just left us..." he looked up in horror. Would he shred them?

The tom had a look of pity in his eyes. He turned his head and called a name. "Emberstar?"

Deserve thought wildly. Star... Star... Yes! Velvet had always told them the clanner leaders had star in their name. "He's calling the leader!" He hissed to Song and Boost.

Suddenly a gray tom joined the other.

It must be Emberstar. Thought Deserve.

Emberstar looked down on them and turned to the ginger cat. "Sunpelt, Who are these kits?"

The ginger tom, clearly called Sunpelt, hissed something in his ear, and Emberstar nodded.

Emberstar softly meowed. "Come into our camp kits."

Deserve looked at Song and Boost. They looked frightened, But followed, ears flat.

Deserve looked around at his surroundings as he entered the camp. Clanners were everywhere! He could see some talking together, some sleeping. He saw many dens under bushes and between rocks.

Emberstar lead them to a den and padded in.

Deserve followed, Boost and Song at his heels. Inside he saw a ginger tabby she-cat laying in some moss. Beside her were three kits, a brown and white one, a black one, and a brown one. The she-cat looked up.

"Emberstar?" she meowed. "Where did these kits come from?"

Emberstar meowed quietly to her. "Abandoned rogues."

The she-cat nodded sadly and turned to them. "Welcome to Shadowclan kits." She motioned them over.

Deserve blinked. She seemed nice. Deserve slowly pad over to her with Boost and Song.

"So what are your names?" She asked softly. "Im Sunflower."

"I-im Deserve." Rasped Deserve. He turned to Boost and Song. "Those are my brother and sister, Boost and Song."

"Deserve?" Repeated Sunflower. "That's a strange name."

Deserve slightly growled. "It's a unique name." He copied the words Dice had always said.

Sunflower nodded. "Yes it is." She turned to the other three kits. "Kits, I'd like you to meet Deserve, Song and Boost."

The three kits stopped playing and glanced at the kits. "Who are you?" Growled the brown and white one.

Sunflower scolded him with a flick on the ear. "That's not a nice welcome, Snakekit. And clearly I just told you who they were."

The black kit growled. "They smell like rogues."

Boost flinched furiously. "We are." He shot back.

Sunflower growled. "Blackkit, be nice. They have been through a lot."

The brown kit snorted. "Yeah, I bet."

Sunflower growled again. "Barkkit, please. Go easy on them." He turned to Deserve and his littermates. "Here, theres a nest for you in the corner. You should sleep."

Deserve padded over and curled up close with Boost and Song.

But the three kits padded towards them. "Yeah." Growled Snakekit. "We'll go easy on you alright." He growled sarcasticly. He then turned away.

Deserve sighed and closed his eyes. We were supposed to stay together. He cried to himself. I thought we could never be split apart. He drifted off into darkness.

Chapter 7

Deserve awoke with Boost and Song to paws prodding their sides. Deserve growled and looked up to see Snakekit , Barkkit and Blackkit.

"Good morning rogues." Purred Snakekit.

Deserve got to his paws and growled. "What do you want? Its early."

Sunflower was still asleep.

Snakekit shrugged. "Yeah. But we thought we could... teach you to fight." He meowed.

Deserve narrowed his eyes. What was that in his tone?

Boost eagerly meowed. "I'd Love to!"

Blackkit meowed. "Ok, do you want to go first?"

Boost nodded. "Sure!"

Suddenly Snakekit jumped at Boost, pinning him. "Stupid rogue!" he sneered, slashing his claws across his face.

Deserve and Song stared in shock.

"Boost!" cried Song, running towards her brother.

But before she could reach him, Blackkit knocked her away with his shoulder.

Boost had claw marks across his face, blood spilling out.

But Snakekit didn't stop, and continued to score marks down him.

Deserve found himself attacked by Barkkit. Deserve gasped in shock as the kit swiped a paw at his chest.

But suddenly Sunflower woke up. As she lifted her head, Snakekit leaped off of Boost and sat patiently.

Brownkit did the same. But Blackkit hissed in Boost's ear. "Thorn."

Sunflower gasped as she saw Boost. "Boost, what happened?" she exclaimed.

Boost meowed. "It was Snak-" Before he finished, Snakekit slid out his claws in warning.

Boost sighed. "it was a thorn."

Sunflower sighed. "We'd better have Depthstar look at this. Thorns are a hazard for kits!"

Snakekit hissed in Boost's ear. "Hope your ready for more 'training' tomorrow." He snickered.

Deserve sighed. How bad could life get right now?

Chapter 8

Deserve woke up to yowling. It was morning. He looked up to see Barkkit attacking Song, slicing at her.

Boost was fighting Blackit, and clearly loosing.

But Snakekit just sat there, watching with a grin.

Deserve got to his paws furiously. He had had enough. He darted at Snakekit and pinned him.

Snakekit, clearly surprised by his weight, struggled under him. "Get off me, flea bitten rogue!" He spat.

Deserve suddenly realized he knew no fighting moves. So he used the only one he knew. He snarled and sunk his teeth into his neck.

Snakekit let out a howl of pain and terror, then went limp. Suddenly Barkkit, Song, Boost and Blackkit stopped fighting and stared in horror at Deserve.

Deserve looked at them, his lips and fangs covered in blood. He had used the killing bite.

"You killed him!" Cried Barkkit in terror.

Blackkit gasped, staring at him.

Deserve flinched, waiting for them to attack him... But they didn't! they were afraid of him! He turned to look at Boost and Song. They shared the same expression.

Deserve gulped and slowly pad towards them. "G-guys... I..."

But before he could reach them, Song cried and backed away. "Get away from me, you monster!"

Boost shivered and whispered. "How could you kill a cat?"

Deserve stared in heartbreak. His own littermates were afraid of him! He whimpered. "I didn't mean to... I mean..."

Before he could finish, Barkkit wailed. "Sunflower!"

Deserve froze. If the clanners knew they would surely kill him! Thinking wildly, he darted out of the den. He ran through the camp , shoving cats out of his way, ignoring their shouts.

"Hey!"

"Watch it!"

Deserve ran, his little heart pounding. He darted into the forest, scambling through branches and twigs. When he reached the top of a pine tree covered slope, he stopped and panted. He suddenly heard a loud cry of terror. It was Sunflower, she knew!

Deserve continued running. He couldn't stop, or they would kill him! As he ran out of the forest, he looked up in joy. It was the road! Across it was the barn, his true home. He was about to run across it, but he froze. He couldn't go home! If Velvet found out what he did, she would hate him! She wouldn't take him back in.

He sighed and the heartbroken kit ran off as far as he could until he reached an abandoned forest. No clanners, no cats. He lay behind a tree, whimpering. This was it. He had lost everything, Dice, Velvet, Boost, Song, his home. And it was all the clanners fault. "Ill make them pay." He vowed. "I will make them pay."

***

A gray tabby cat pad through the forest. It was dark, a full moon hung in the sky. The tom was hunting. He was a Thunderclan cat. Suddenly the sound of twigs snapping made the tom look around. "Hello?" He asked. No reply. The tom shrugged and continued hunting. Suddenly a black blur leaped at him, pinning him onto his side. The tom looked up in terror. It was too dark to get a good look at his attacker. On his side were two strong white paws pinning him. He looked up to see emerald eyes gleaming at him. His attacker slid out his claws and lifted his paw to strike a blow at his throat. The tom quivered in fear. "Who- Who are you?" He whimpered. His attacker purred. "Im Deserve." He then struck his blow, and a yowl of pain echoed through the night.

Deserve's Beginning Sequel: Dark Rogue

(I never completed this one, but this was it so far)

Chapter 1

The sun blazed in the sky, heat beaming down on the forest. Birds sang and fluttered around. Everything seemed good and peaceful. But it wasn't. Deserve pushed his way through the leaves. But he had changed now. He was bigger, now 3 years old. He had tints of crimson on his claws, from only one thing. Killing. Ever since the day he ran through the forest in terror, he had vowed he would make the clan cats pay. If the clans didn't live across the road, Dice would have waited for the car to pass, easily catching the turkey, which meant Velvet wouldn't abandoned him, and Deserve never would have killed Snakekit. Deserve glanced around the forest, Shadowclan scent lingering.

"Now where's my next piece of prey?" Deserve chuckled, crouching in a bush. Just then two Shadowclan cats came from around a bush. Deserve crouched further into the bush. A brown tabby tom was the first to speak.

"Emberstar said to mark the border, so stop messing around, Graywhisker." The tabby snapped to the other cat, who was sniffing wildly.

Graywhisker snorted. "Yeah, well I want to be sure our territory is safe, Hawkfur. You remember what happened last season? Snakekit was killed."

Deserve suddenly felt uneasy. But he shook it away. I'm not a kit no more! He growled to himself. They can't kill me, I'll kill them.

Graywhisker went on. "Plus after that more mysterious murders happened. Icewing, Stonepaw, Berrytail... And according to Sunflower it was that stinking rogue kit, Deserve."

Deserve bristled, holding back a growl.

Hawkfur rolled his eyes. "You really think that piece of dung did all that? He only killed Snakekit. Besides, Deserve probably is long gone."

Deserve decided to start. He chuckled, stepping out. "That's what you think, hm?"

Graywhisker let out a cry. "It's him!" He turned to run, but Hawkfur stepped on his tail.

"Senseless coward!" Hawkfur growled while Graywhisker got to his paws. He turned to Deserve. "You think we're scared of you? You just killed a puny kit, that proves nothing of you."

Deserve purred. "I can prove you wrong." He unsheathed his claws.

"How?" Growled Hawkfur.

Deserve leaped at Hawkfur and rolled him onto his back, his white paws pinning him by the throat. "This is how." He hissed in his ear. He lunged his fangs into the toms throat, blood quickly pouring into Deserve's mouth. Graywhisker was shaking in horror while Hawkfur howled in terror. When Deserve finished him off, he let Hawkfur's body drop to the ground in the puddle of his own blood. Deserve turned to Graywhisker with blood dripping from his mouth, eyes glaring.

Graywhisker coward to the ground. "P-Please! D-Don't kill me, I beg you!"

Deserve growled. "You've seen too much." He lift a blood stained paw.

"N-No! Please, Don-" Before Graywhisker had finished, Deserve struck his claws down his belly, his guts pouring out. Deserve turned and padded away from his crime.

"I won't stop until every clan cat is dead!" He growled. "They destroyed my family!"

Chapter 2

Deserve sat by a river. He dipped his paws and mouth into the water, washing off the blood, the evidence of his crime. He got up and shook himself dry. It's a bit hard to do all this killing alone. He realized. Maybe I should start one of those... Armies. He lay down near the river, thinking. Cats who had the same hunger for blood would be under his command to kill every clan cat.

"I'll do it," He silently meowed to himself. "Now to find some cats." Deserve got up and turned to leave, only to find Shadowclan scent. "What!?" He hissed. Hadn't he washed off the scent? But he realized it was coming from the nearby forest. Deserve quickly leaped in a bush and peered out. A thick furred calico tom was padding around, following Deserve's scent.

Oh no. Thought Deserve. I'll just have to kill him. If he finds me, I'm in big trouble. Deserve leaped out of the bush and unsheathed his claws.

The calico tom turned to him. "So you killed them?" He snarled. "I've just seen Graywhisker and Hawkfur's gruesome bodies."

Deserve nodded. "It was me alright. It's a shame you won't get to tell your clan." He crouched, preparing to attack when he heard a cry.

"Stripednose!" A beautiful white she-cat bounded over to the calico tom.

Deserve stared in surprise. That she-cat looked familiar. "S-Song?" He meowed.

The she-cat swung her head at Deserve. Her eyes widened, but defended herself. "Deserve." Song growled, nodding to him. "My excuse for a brother"

Deserve narrowed his eyes at her. She still hates me.

Song stood in front of Stripednose, shaking. But she tried to hide it. "Don't you dare think about killing him!"

Behind her, Stripednose protested. "I can defend myself!"

Deserve growled and prepared to leap again, but Song's cry stopped him. "Don't you kill my mate!"

Deserve froze and looked up. "Y-your mate?"

Song nodded, still shaking. "Yeah. Don't feel bad, we all know no she-cat would ever love you."

Deserve gaped at the insult. He had to kill them! They would go to ShadowClan and tell them he was the killer. But how could he kill his own sister? Deserve carefully meowed. "Song, I don't want to kill you."

Song whispered something to Stripednose, then padded towards Deserve. "I have no feelings for you, Deserve. Nothing."

Deserve opened his jaws to reply when Song growled to stop him. "I want nothing to do with you. So lets pretend this never happened. If you leave me and Stripednose alone, we won't tell Emberstar."

Deserve thought for a moment. "You'd better mean it." He growled. "Or I will kill you."

Song nodded. "I do." She turned to Stripednose, and the two began to pad away.

Deserve couldn't help asking. "Song?"

Song kept walking, but sighed and turned her head. "What?"

Deserve blinked. "H-how's Boost?"

Song eyed him, and Deserve thought he saw a hint of pain in her eyes. "He-He's fine."

Deserve watched them leave until they disappeared into the forest.

Chapter 3

Deserve sadly padded along the road. Did Song really hate him? After he had seen her again, he felt bad. He suddenly looked up to see the barn. His home. Deserve hesitated. Should I go? He decided. I'll go. He looked at the road to make sure he wouldn't have the same fate as his father, then ran across. His stomache twisted as he came to the enterence. He peered in. Hay was scattered on the floor, and some floor boards were loose.

"Hello?" He called uneasily. Velvet? Are you here? He wanted to ask. He walked through the barn. When he rounded a hay bale, he stared in shock. There was Velvet, sitting in a corner, back facing him, looking down. But Deserve thought it was hard to believe it was her. Her once silky white fur was now ruffled and missing in places. Her bones stuck out grossly.

Deserve took a deep breath. "V-Velvet?"

Velvet slowly turned to him. "W-who are you?" She croaked weakly.

Deserve's heart clouded with pain. "I-it's me. Your son. Deserve."

Velvet stared at him with her stressed blue eyes for a while when she nodded, a bit of happiness in her voice. "D-eserve?" She struggled to get up and limped over to him. Velvet looked him from top to bottom. "You're beautiful. You've grown so much..." As she stood, she suddenly almost fell over.

Deserve quickly caught her by his shoulder on time, proping her to her feet. "Velvet, what happened to you?" He whispered, letting her lean on him.

Velvet sighed. "I couldn't hunt... T-this nice tom called... Stone was hunting for me after you left. H-he left a few months ago..." She coughed weakly. "I tried to hunt. I tried so hard. I caught some... But not enough."

Deserve's heart cracked in the realization that his mother was starving. "I'll hunt for you, Velvet," He whispered, licking her ear.

But Velvet shook her head. "N-No. I won't put-"

"-That kind of pressure on me." Deserve finished, knowing what she would say. "I'm grown now."

Velvet let out what Deserve thought was a snarl. "Dice died because of it!" She rasped. "He died because of that pressure. I don't want to be responsible for you too."

"It wasn't your fault." Deserve whispered. Suddenly he heard a crackle, and the smell of smoke. Deserve spun around and gasped. Fire! Fire blazed on the roof and corner. Deserve spun back to his mother in terror. "Fire!" He gasped. "Come on Velvet, let's get out of here!" He grabbed his mothers scruff before she could protest and hauled her toward the entrance. But suddenly the back of the barn came a blaze, which lead to the roof. Beams began to collapse, falling to the barn ground. "No!" Yowled Deserve as Velvet stood beside him. Deserve spotted a way out and raced towards it, Velvet running beside him. "Stay with me!" He hissed to her. But suddenly a beam collapsed.

Deserve heard a loud cry of pain. He spun around in horror. Velvet was trapped under it, the fire not far from her.

"Velvet!" He yowled, racing back to her. He struggled to lift the beam with his shoulders and back, but it wouldn't budge.

"D-Deserve!" Whispered Velvet while he franticly shoved himself at the beam. "It's no use. Get out of here."

Deserve stared at her in terror as he hauled at the beam. "No! I won't leave you!"

"Deserve!" Hissed Velvet. "I've lived my life. It's my time anyway. Please go!" She pleaded as the fire neared.

The flames blazed just a little ways from them now. "No!" Cried Deserve. "I'm not leaving without you!" He began to go insane, franticly throwing himself at the beam.

"Deserve!" Spat Velvet, with the strength she had, striking his head with her paw. Deserve finally snapped out of it and stopped, staring at her painfully. "Go." She whispered.

Deserve whimpered and pressed his head into her neck. "I love you."

Velvet nodded. "I love you too. Now leave, go. Go have a great life, my son."

Deserve gave her a last pleading glance before racing out of the barn. When he reached as far as the road, he looked back painfully as the last of the barn burned to pieces.